MOSCOW, February 03. /ITAR-TASS/. The European Union’s explanations why Russian journalists were not admitted to a news briefing by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton in Kiev on January 29 “can be hardly considered satisfactory”, the Russian Foreign Ministry reported on Monday.

“We urge the EU to take a thorough attitude towards forming journalists’ ‘pool’ when they are accredited to news conferences with the participation of EU high-ranking officials,” the ministry said.

“We believe that when the Russian society is deprived of a chance to know about the EU assessment on the events in Ukraine the situation negatively correlates with the principle of freedom of the press,” the ministry said.